The Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) promotes the highest quality of life for all children, people with developmental disabilities, and their families. The Section represents pediatric physical therapy and promotes its members as practitioners of choice for children (birth to 21 years) with or at risk for movement dysfunction. The Section also serves as a collective voice to further the role of pediatric physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.
Our specialty section is home to almost 5,000 members who work tirelessly to enhance the abilities and lives of the children and families we work alongside of each day. The children we serve range in age from pre-term infants to teenagers and even those with developmental disabilities who are entering adulthood. These clients can receive physical therapy services in a variety of settings, including the home, school, daycare, hospital, outpatient centers, and rehabilitation hospitals.
The Section on Pediatrics is committed to furthering our knowledge to better serve the children in our communities, and places a great deal of importance on continuing education. The Section hosts a variety of continuing education courses, including the Section on Pediatrics Annual Conference (SoPAC), which brings together pediatric therapists from across the country and around the globe to network, share ideas, and advance our area of practice.
The field of pediatrics is growing rapidly with advances in health care and in our knowledge of childhood development. The Section on Pediatrics invites you to join us for exciting adventures in teaching, learning, and exploring through play, and to make a difference to the children we serve!
To learn more about pediatric physical therapy and the Section on Pediatrics, please explore our Web site. Click here for more information about the benefits of belonging to the Section on Pediatrics!
Benefits of Belonging to the Section on Pediatrics
Many of the benefits of Section membership are available right on this Web site! To log in to the Section Web site, type your APTA member number in the first line and your last name (with first letter capitalized) in the second.
- Access to members-only information on the Section's user-friendly Web site.
- Mailed copies of Pediatric Physical Therapy, the Section's award-winning, Medline-listed quarterly journal. PPT is also accessible online and available via podcast. (For more info, click on the PPT link at the bottom of the home page.)
- Mailed copies and online access to twice annual print Section newsletters to keep you informed about Section activities. (Back issues are posted under Healthcare Professionals.)
- Monthly E-News electronic newsletters to keep you appraised of the latest happenings in the Section and the pediatric physical therapy community. (Back issues are posted under Healthcare Professionals.)
- Free membership in any or all of the Section's six special interest groups (Pediatric Sports-Fitness, Adolescents & Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Neonatology, School-based PT, Early Intervention, and Hospital-based PT). (For more info or to join, visit the Special Interest Group page.)
- Information and advice from your peers on practice, reimbursement, and other issues via the Section on Pediatrics Online Community. (For more info, visit the Healthcare Professionals page.)
- The latest reimbursement and legislative news, including online access to reimbursement resources in your state. (For more info, visit the Healthcare Professionals page.)
- Discounts on registration for Section courses, including the Section on Pediatrics Annual Conference (SoPAC), and APTA's Combined Sections Meeting. (For more info, click on Professional Development under Quick Links at the bottom of the home page.)
- Section-sponsored funding grants to support clinical research in pediatric physical therapy in amounts up to $30,000. (For more info, visit the Research & Awards page.)
- A variety of scholarships and awards, including the Memorial Fund Scholarship (to help fund the PCS process), the Minority Recruitment Grant (to pay full Section and APTA dues), the Student Essay Contests (to pay for students' attendance at CSM, SoPAC, and the Federal Affairs Forum), and more. (For more info, visit the Research & Awards page.)
- Discounts on Section products. (For more info, click on Section Online Store under Quick Links at the bottom of the home page.)
- Use of the Section's table-top booth for use at your chapter or local event. (For more info, contact pediatrics@apta.org.)
- Access to a variety of members-only fact sheets with helpful information on a variety of topics. (For more info, visit the Healthcare Professionals page.)
- A Section Career Center that allows Section members to create a (free) account to determine a highly targeted focus on employment opportunities; post resumes and job applications anonymously; create an advanced Job Alert system that notifies candidates of new opportunities matching their own pre-selected criteria; and access to industry-specific jobs often not seen on other job boards. (For more info, click on Career Center under Quick Links at the bottom of the home page.)
- Most importantly, you'll be part of a network of members - in your state, in your region, and across the country - and a part of a collective voice for pediatric physical therapy. The Section network is there to help support your practice. And there are many opportunities for you to get involved:
- in any of our six special interest groups or on our standing committees (Bylaws, Communication, Education, Legislative, Membership, Practice, PR, Payment Policy & Advocacy, Research)
- in an elected capacity (Executive Committee, Regional Directors, and Nominating Committee)
- as a state representative
- as a pediatric speaker (through the Section's Speakers' Bureau)
- or on any one of a number of task forces, subcommittees, and work groups based on your particular interest and expertise (To volunteer to serve the Section, click on Volunteer Opportunities under Quick Links at the bottom of the home page.)
To join the Section on Pediatrics, go to www.apta.org, and click "Join."
Click below for information on benefits of specific interest to Section on Pediatrics Physical Therapist Assistant members and Student members.
Section on Pediatrics PTA Members
The Section on Pediatrics has many PTA members, just like you. We hope you will consider joining the Section on Pediatrics
Click Here for the PTA Rate of $35. In addition to all the other Section benefits outlined above, the Section has several benefits that are of specific interest to PTAs, including:
If you have any additional ideas for benefits for PTA members, please contact the Section's Membership Committee Chair listed under About Us.
Section on Pediatrics Student Members
The Section on Pediatrics has more than 300 student members. We hope you will consider joining the Section on Pediatrics
Click Here for the Student Rate of $20. In addition to all the other Section benefits outlined above, the Section has several benefits that are of specific interest to Students, including:
- Section Awards & Scholarships that support students and recent graduates:
If you have any additional ideas for benefits for Student members, please contact the Section's Membership Committee Chair listed under About Us.
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